From Rich To Rags
by arcticflames
Summary: Bankrupt and homeless, Syaoran knocks on the door of his friends, but wait! Is he being taken advantage of? Sinderan? Like Cinderella? And where's Sakura...oh yeah, she's the....
1. From Rich to Rags

Wheepie! Finally arctic-chan figures out what the heck is going on with this story and she wrote it down ^o^ YAY! Anyway, this story is like Cinderella only with a couple twists with our ever so lovely CCS gang. SO stay tune and no matter how weird this looks, it's alternate universe and it's going to be kind of similar to Cinderella but you'll see the difference ^o^ heehee...ja!  
  
So with that in mind, let's get it started ^o^ Oh yeah, everyone in here is in their umm...early 20s. ^.~  
  
Disclaimer: CCS is not mine, it's owned by CLAMPS so SCRAM!  
  
  
  
Chapter 1: From Rich To Rags  
  
  
  
  
  
"Syaoran..." the pale-faced woman gasped, her face covered in sweat.  
  
The chestnut-haired young man gently put a wet towel on his mother's forehead, "Shh...it's alright, mother. You need your rest."  
  
"No," Yelan's voice cracked. "I know I don't have much time."  
  
Syaoran shook his head violently, "No, don't say that!"  
  
Syaoran's mother sighed, rubbing Syaoran's messy brown hair. "I can't hold on much longer. You are all grown up now. It's time that I let go."  
  
"Mother..." Syaoran pleaded.  
  
Yelan sighed, "There's only one wish I have for you, my son. Find someone that you love."  
  
Syaoran picked up the cold damp hand and pinky-promised his mother, "Yes I will."  
  
Yelan smiled warmly and closed her eyes in peace.  
  
Syaoran looked in bewilderment and shook the sleeping woman, "Mother?" When he got no response, he kneeled on the floor in defeat, knowing that death had won again.  
  
**********  
  
A fist came down on the ceder wood desk, cracking the sturdy desk. A pair of amber eyes stared mercilessly into the trembling employers. An angry growl was heard, "What did you say?"  
  
"T-the...money...d-dis-appears...f-from the account," one of the employers stammered and busied himself with wiping the sweat off his baldhead.  
  
The documents flied out from Syaoran's hand and smacked into the employers, "Can you trace it?"  
  
The employers looked at each other, deciding who should break the new. Finally one of them spoke up, "No we can't and there's a bigger problem..."  
  
Syaoran narrowed his amber eyes to a slit, "What's the problem."  
  
His assistant gulped, "We lost...more than half of our stock."  
  
Syaoran stared at the wall blankly, *Is Li clan coming to an end?*  
  
**********  
  
"So is that all?" the dark-haired young man wiped the sweat off his face and looked expectantly at his partner.  
  
"Yep!" came the reply as another tall man sat the last box on the floor.  
  
"Well," the first man opened the bag and took out two cans of beverage. He tossed one to the sapphire-eyed man wearing wire-rimmed glasses, "Welcome to China."  
  
Eriol nodded, "Cheers."  
  
**********  
  
"I am sorry, Mr. Li," the police officer shook his head at the pleading leader.  
  
"Please," Syaoran pleaded, "all I need is more time! Just give me another week...or even a day!"  
  
"Nope!" the police finished taping the Li Corporation, "This building is confiscated and that's the end of the story. NOW SCRAM!"  
  
A look of defeat was in Syaoran's eyes. He had lost everything. His house, his business, and his money...all due to a fraud in his party. He pounded the building angrily, *It's not fair!*  
  
After a few moments, he reached in his pocket and took out a piece of crumple paper. He mumbled to himself as he headed east, "Guess I'll have to go to them!"  
  
**********  
  
A cloud floated atop and a beautiful angel peeked out of her sanctuary, *He looks so sad! Maybe I should help him.* With that thought in mind, the auburn-haired angel transported herself away.  
  
  
  
**********************************************************************  
  
So, have you guys figure out who's Cinderella yet? Come on! It's not that hard! Of course it's our Syaoran...heehee...this will be interesting. And if you didn't catch it earlier, this is an alternate universe ^o^ Well, till next time ^_^ 


	2. A Round of Basketball Game

Yep! I'm back after being inspired by my friend's personal experience. I totally cracked up when she told me about it, it's just so funny! Anyway, I'm back and her experience is incorporated into this fic although I haven't finished telling about the story...it's just so funny to me. Well enjoy ^.~  
  
Disclaimer: Don't I just love this part? *arctic-chan twitches her eyebrows* yeah yeah, CCS is owned by CLAMPS and Cinderella is owned by...er...whoever wrote it and Disney company and whatever...in other words, it's not mine. But this story is mine so I will appreciate it if you don't steal my brain child...although there's barely anything here...hah hah...^^;;  
  
Key:  
*...*= thoughts/emphasize on a word  
= flashback/memories  
CAPS= yelling/shouting  
[...]= lyrics/poems  
  
  
  
  
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Chapter 2: A Round of Basketball  
  
  
  
  
  
"There," Eriol wiped the beads of sweat forming on his forehead. A guy around his age limped and collapsed onto the floor. The two of them rested against each other and groaned in pain as their muscles stiffened.  
  
Takeshi opened another soda can and gulped down the drink. Swallowing it, he asked, "Do you think Li actually got our letter?"  
  
"Probably," Eriol helped himself to a cold beverage as well, "but knowing him, he probably don't even know we exist until we visit him."  
  
"Yeah," Takeshi sighed, beaming at the memory of his two best friends and him growing up in Japan. He stared ahead, "It's a shame that he has to take over Li Corporation."  
  
"A shame?" Eriol exclaimed. "Come on! Li corporation, that's the money pot! Where had you been?"  
  
"I know, I know," Takeshi lifted up his hands in defense, "but we could have worked something out. Three of us, best lawyers ever...hot-looking, rich, perfect men for any girl."  
  
Eriol choked as Takeshi pointed upward with his infamous finger, "Oh please give me a break!"  
  
Takeshi smirked and posed like the boy model in teen magazine. He winked flirty and blew a kiss.  
  
Eriol rolled on the floor laughing, pounding on the hardwood floor, "Don't make me laugh! Hah hah! Geez, I guess you are really enjoying these few days without Chiharu."  
  
Takeshi scrunched his nose and pretended not to know what Eriol was talking about, "Say who?"  
  
"Say me," a feminine voice replied angrily.  
  
Takeshi raised his eyebrows in surprise and scrambled to his feet. Eriol stiffened a laugh while watching his friend looking cautiously for his girlfriend popping out at any second.   
  
Scowling, Takeshi lunged at the cackling Eriol, "I told you not to do that anymore!"  
  
Laughing, Eriol punched back as hard as Takeshi did, "But it's so funny...especially you fall for it everything."  
  
The two guys rolled on the floor punching each other forgetting their sore muscles momentarily.  
  
Knock, knock.  
  
Eriol and Takeshi scrambled to their feet and straightened out their shirts. Eriol ran his fingers madly into his hair and pushed his glasses upward, "I thought she's not coming until a week later!"  
  
Takeshi tripped over the can of pop, "How do I know? I thought she's staying with Rika to plan the wedding!"  
  
Panting, both of them reached the door and tried to swing it open. Eriol rolled his eyes, "Can't you move your hands, Takeshi?"  
  
Takeshi shook his head, "No! I got to open the door if it's Chiharu!"  
  
The doorknob turned, Takeshi and Eriol continued arguing unaware of the visitor outside.  
  
Outside the door, a messy-haired gentleman wearing a loosened business suit looked amusedly at the arguing friends. He counted to three before leaning over and smashed the two heads together.  
  
"OW!" Eriol and Takeshi screamed at the same time. They rubbed their heads and looked accusingly at the man outside.  
  
The man chuckled and stepped into the apartment, "Nice place you got here."  
  
"Yeah," Eriol crossed his arms while Takeshi closed the door behind, "So nice of you to drop by too, Mr. Li."  
  
Syaoran laughed and slapped his two best friends on their backs. Takeshi and Eriol groaned as the hard slash reminded them of their sore muscles. Syaoran glanced around and asked playfully, "So did you guys save a room for me?"  
  
Eriol raised an eyebrow, "Say what, Mr. Rich? You need a room? Darn! I was going to bunk with you when Chiharu kick me out in a few days!"  
  
Syaoran hid his emotions, emotions of losing his business, his house,...everything. Instead he smiled, pretending nothing was wrong and dragged both friends behind him. "Oh you two, trying to taunt me huh? Well, let's see how well your skill improve after these years."  
  
Takeshi groaned, "Oh no you don't mean that!"  
  
Syaoran raised his eyebrow and taunted, "What are you, Takeshi? Too chicken to play a round of basketball with your old friend? Bwak wak wak!"   
  
Eriol snickered and joined Syaoran in imitating chickens croaking.  
  
"Alright, alright," Takeshi picked up the ball neatly put away in the box and bounced it a couple times, "let's do it!"  
  
"Alright!" Syaoran high-fived Takeshi midair and tugged on Eriol shirt, "come on, Eriol, you four-eyed geek, show me what you have!"  
  
"Oh you ask for it," Eriol rolled up his sleeves, "we'll see how you do two against one."  
  
"Oh yeah?" Syaoran tossed them his mysterious smile and grabbed the ball on the way out. "Last one out needs to do dirty laundry!"  
  
"Why you Chinese gaki!" Eriol and Takeshi shoved each other around as the three young men sprinted to the nearest basketball court.  
  
**********  
  
The auburn-haired angel sneaked out of her bed of puffy cloud and made her way down to the gate. She scurried over her protective guardian, Fujitaka, and her brotherly angel, Touya, and reached the gate in time to catch her breath. *Better not let them catch me!*  
  
"And why is that?" a silvery mist shimmered before a particular gatekeeper was revealed. He had the palest blue eyes, almost the color of ice itself, and silvery hair that swept and shimmered every time he turned his head. His hair was tied together with a ribbon and his face cold without any emotion.  
  
"Yue!" the emerald-eyed angel scowled, "you're reading my mind again!"  
  
"It's easy," Yue folded his wings and looked expectingly at the mischievous angel. "So what is it this time, Sakura?"  
  
Sakura sighed, "I want to go down there!" Sakura pointed downward where the world was clustered with neon lights and traffic jams.  
  
"Say what?!" Yue's eyes bugged out, very unlikely of his character for he cared for the mischievous auburn-haired girl and didn't want anything horrible to happen to Heaven's most precious angel.   
  
"Please, Yue?" Sakura pleaded giving the stern gatekeeper her puppy eyes that were able to melt anyone's heart. "I'll do whatever you want!"  
  
"Really?" Yue paused to think. "Well, I really don't need anything, but while you are down there, buy twenty packs of tapioca puddings for me, ok?"  
  
"HOE?!" Sakura almost fell flat on her face, "I thought you don't eat anything!"  
  
"I don't," Yue replied simply.  
  
"Then why you need me to buy puddings?" Sakura exclaimed.  
  
"It's for a friend," Yue's eyes wavered slightly toward the Forbidden Zone. "Well, you better go now or never."  
  
"Okay," Sakura stepped into the portal and before she transported herself down, she called to Yue, "Be sure to keep Touya as busy as possible."  
  
Yue nodded knowing, "Yes, see you in a couple days!"  
  
Sakura smiled slightly, "Sure!" *NOT! Of course I'm going to enjoy myself down here on earth. A couple days?! More like a couple years!*  
  
**********  
  
"Boo ya!" Syaoran smirked as he dunked another basketball into the hoop.  
  
Eriol held on tight to the side of his stomach ready to give our in merely a couple seconds. Takeshi breathed in shallowly as he dribbled the ball lifelessly with Syaoran taking another defense course. His hands gave away as Syaoran easily snatched the ball from him and scored another point.  
  
"Let's go," Takeshi groaned and leaned against the pole.   
  
Eriol nodded as he faced with Syaoran again. Syaoran grinned devilish as he made several taunting moves against the sore Eriol. Eriol made one last attempt before he gave up and lay flat on the floor. Syaoran carried the ball all the way to the three-pointer and aimed for the basket.  
  
Suddenly out of nowhere, an emerald-eyed girl appeared, "Hi!" She beamed at the three awestruck young men.  
  
The ball left Syaoran's hand before he even noticed it. His amber eyes lost in emerald ones.   
  
Takeshi screamed, unheard by the gang, "Hey you there! Don't stand under the hoop!"  
  
"The hoop?" the emerald eyes looked questionably and Sakura asked herself, *what's a ho-*  
  
**********************************************************************  
  
  
Ohohohoho...that's all for today and yes, this is a Cinderella parody although it will take me awhile to get to the point and you might not even know how is it related to Cinderella at all...^^;; Well, for now, figure out who's Eriol, Takeshi, and Sakura in this fic...heehee...till next time ^.~  
  
Oh yeah, this is alternate universe...so...there might not be any Clow magic involvement ^.~  
  
And if you have any question, please ask and I'll answer them for ya ^.~  
  
arcticflames0328@yahoo.com --- if that doesn't work for some reason...^^;;...use the one in my author page ^.~ 


	3. Smart Hoop

Sorry I'm late! I was going to publish this yesterday in honor of Sakura's birthday but I wasn't able to finish o Oh well, hope you guys enjoy this chapter ^.~  
  
Disclaimer: CCS does not belong to me, neither does Cinderella.  
  
Key: it's the same every time, just check the first or second chapter although I just realized that stupid text format doesn't use some of the characters so ~...~ is flashback/memories  
  
  
  
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Chapter 3: Smart Hoop  
  
  
  
  
  
"IIIIITTTTTTTTTTAAAAAAAAAAAAIIIIIIIIIIIII!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" Sakura screamed as the round basketball went through the hoop and landed on her head.  
  
**********  
  
With a jolt, a certain raven-haired woke up from his deep sleep. He murmured thoughtfully, "Kaijuu?"  
  
He scrambled to his feet and dragged his long, usually gracious wings behind touching the floor slightly and collecting dust while he raced to The Portal.  
  
"Oi, Yue!" the raven-haired angel called to the gatekeeper. "Where's Sakura?"  
  
Yue lifted up his head, "Morning, Touya."  
  
"Where's Sakura?" Touya repeated again, his brown chocolate eyes filled with worries.  
  
Yue's stomach turned upsettingly and he lied without twitching an eyebrow, "I don't know."  
  
"You don't?" Touya asked the gatekeeper again suspiciously.  
  
"Nope!" Yue firmly held his promise with Sakura and stared straight into Touya's eyes.  
  
"TOUYA!" a feminine voice squealed and two arms snaked around Touya's neck almost strangling him.  
  
"Na-ku-ru-san!" Touya choked and managed to splutter a couple words.  
  
Nakuru beamed, her silvery wings fluttered behind her and the wind blew against her long brown hair. She clung happily onto Touya and gave him a peck on his cheek, "Morning, handsome."  
  
"Get off of me!" Touya struggled against Nakuru's tight embrace.  
  
"Nope!" Nakuru shook her head. "Not in a millenium years! Last time I got off of you, you dunked me into the Heavenly Pod and went on a vacation for a hundred years!"  
  
Yue sighed, *At least Nakuru got Touya's mind off Sakura...let's just hope Sakura would return soon and bring those puddings with her.* His icy blue eyes wavered to the Forbidden Zone again, *I just hope it can cure The Beast's restlessness.*  
  
**********  
  
"Are you alright?" Syaoran asked gently and bent over to examine the girl more closely. He backed away as he was faced with Sakura, "AAHHHH!!!!!!!"  
  
Two rows of tears streamed down Sakura's face, a bump on top of her head, and in addition two streams of blood came out from her nose. The emerald- eyed girl sniffled, "It hurts."  
  
"Here," Syaoran handed the auburn-haired girl his unused handkerchief.  
  
Sakura gave a thankful beam at the helpful young man, "Thanks." She gently wiped the blood and the tears off and managed to get up on her two feet. She wobbled a little before she fell onto the floor again.  
  
"Careful!" Syaoran leaped up to the rescue and hold onto the strange girl.  
  
Sakura blushed slightly and murmured, "Thanks again."  
  
Syaoran looked worriedly at the injured girl, "You sure you are alright? I'm so sorry to hit you in the head..."  
  
"AAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!" a shriek was heard and Eriol was shoved to the side falling flat on his face. A young girl of average height rushed to Sakura's side, "Oh my gosh, oh my gosh, are you okay, Sakura- chan?"  
  
Sakura's eyes widened in disbelief, "To-Tomoyo-chan? How do you know I'm here?"  
  
Tomoyo brushed her soft gray hair aside and gave Sakura a knowing wink, "I just know." Then she frowned, "But you really should be more careful and tell me where were you going. You had me all worried."  
  
"Gomen ne, Tomoyo-chan," Sakura apologized, "I didn't mean to."  
  
"It's alright," Tomoyo winked. "But can you walked?"  
  
"I could try!" Sakura tried to get up but collapsed onto the floor once again.  
  
"Here, how about going to my friend's apartment? You can rest for awhile," Syaoran suggested, still regretting for knocking Sakura over with the basketball.  
  
The two girls exchanged a glance and slowly, the wavy long-haired girl nodded her head, her big sapphire eyes in solemn thoughts.  
  
Gradually, the auburn-haired girl nodded while struggling once again to get up on her own, "Alright."  
  
Syaoran gently supported her on the side, "Good."  
  
Behind him, the two young men followed, dragging their feet behind after the long exhausting, yet dramatic, game.  
  
**********  
  
"This is where you live?" Sakura took a tour around the house, "You know what's funny? I live next door!"  
  
"Say what?" Tomoyo looked at her friend in surprise. Sakura gave her a wink and Tomoyo corrected herself, "Oh yeah, gomen Sakura-chan, I kept forgetting you moved!"  
  
"It's alright!" Sakura laughed good-humoredly hoping the boys wouldn't notice the glitch between Tomoyo and her conversation.  
  
Eriol raised an eyebrow but didn't comment although he examined the girls more closely devouring their previous conversation, *What's up with these girls, oh well, probably just some girl things.* Eriol's eyes brightened as he clasped his forehead, "Oh yeah! We forgot to introduce ourselves. I'm Eriol and recently graduated from law school."  
  
Takeshi nodded, "I'm Takeshi, a colleague of Eriol and Syaoran, and I'm taken."  
  
"Who cares?" Syaoran knocked on Takeshi's head. "I'm Syaoran, but please call me Li."  
  
"Li Syaoran?" Tomoyo's eyes lit up as she recognized the name, "of Li Corporation?"  
  
Syaoran felt as if someone just stabbed him with a sharp razor, "Yes."  
  
"I'm sorry," Tomoyo continued, unaware of the shocking glances directing toward her, "that your business failed. It must be hard to start everything over again."  
  
A bewildered Syaoran looked at Tomoyo in shock, "How do you know? The news wouldn't be out until the evening paper is published!"  
  
"Well," Tomoyo stammered, "I-I..."  
  
Sakura winced and continued, "We heard a rumor, isn't that right, Tomoyo- chan?"  
  
"Yeah, we did," Tomoyo sighed in relief, "I'm Tomoyo, Sakura's friend and I own a florist shop."  
  
Sakura slighted bowed, "I'm Sakura, a freelance writer and your next door neighbor."  
  
"Glad to meet you both," Syaoran replied politely as his two friends dragged him to the side.  
  
"What happened exactly to your business?" Eriol hissed in Syaoran's ears. "You weren't planning on telling us, right?"  
  
"Just so typical of you!" Takeshi whispered and crossed his arms. "So how bad is it?"  
  
Syaoran closed his eyes, unable to form words and tell his best friends about his defeat, "Very bad, I lost everything."  
  
"How?" Eriol asked.  
  
"My partner rolled up more than half of the stocks and fleed," Syaoran replied painfully. "Unless I can find him, I'm responsible for all the damage."  
  
"We'll help you!" Takeshi patted Syaoran on the shoulder.  
  
"You will?" Syaoran's eyes lit up.  
  
"Of course!" Eriol smiled, "that's what friends are for, but when you get your money back, I'm charging every single minute of it."  
  
"How dare you..." Syaoran grabbed Eriol's shirt.  
  
Takeshi shrugged, "Hey, we are lawyers after all!"  
  
  
  
**********************************************************************  
  
  
  
Itai= ouch  
  
Gomen= sorry  
  
-chan= familiar attachment to someone's name, usually female  
  
kaijuu= think I spelled this wrong, monster  
  
Oi= hey/yo  
  
-san= more formal suffix  
  
okay, that's all, hopefully I didn't miss any ^^;; 


	4. Shining the Spotlight on...

WHEE! Yep! Here's a new chapter and I dunno if I'm able to produce anymore chapter after this one...I still need to work on my homework *sobs* Anyway, don't mind me, just enjoy ^_~  
  
Disclaimer: CCS is owned by CLAMPS and just leave me alone, alright?  
  
Key- like the one before...unless I happen to not have one...heh heh ^^;;  
  
**********************************************************************  
  
Chapter 4: Shining the Spotlight on...  
  
  
  
  
"Oh my gosh!" after a night of restless sleep, a grumpy chestnut-hair young man woke up and groaned. "I'm so gonna kill those two scums!"  
  
********************  
  
"Morning!" Tomoyo beamed at the sleepy head.  
  
Sakura yawned and stretched, her silky auburn hair now looking like a bird nest, "What's up!"  
  
"Nothing," Tomoyo shrugged, "just got a few questions for you."  
  
"Yeah?" Sakura got out of the bed and tripped over her pajama pants. "OOOWWWWWWWIIIIIIIIIIEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"  
  
"Shhhh!" Tomoyo whispered, "Quiet! Everyone's still sleeping!"  
  
Sakura whimpered as she settled in a chair, "Alright, so what do you wanna ask me?"  
  
"Not much," Tomoyo shrugged again, "just wondering isn't this the busiest time for angels?"  
  
"Heh heh," Sakura laughed dryly, "Yue let me out?"  
  
Tomoyo raised an eyebrow, "Oh yeah? For how long?"  
  
"Umm..." Sakura scratched her head, "two celestial days."  
  
"Which means two weeks on Earth, eh?" Tomoyo folded her arms and looked expectingly at Sakura. "And how long you're planning to stay?"  
  
"Just exactly like how long Yue wants me to," Sakura stuffed her mouth with cereal avoiding to face Tomoyo.  
  
"Really?" Tomoyo poured a bowl of cereal and some milk on the top.  
  
"Yep!" Sakura nodded guiltily. "And what's your business down here? Shouldn't the Faeries be busy right now with spring?"  
  
Tomoyo slowly put down her spoon and wiped her mouth delicately, "We got too much flowers so I'm supposed to deliver them."  
  
"And for how long?" Sakura smiled slyly at her best friend, Faery Tomoyo.  
  
Tomoyo gulped, knowing Sakura was paying her back, "Umm...two celestial hours."  
  
"Oh, look at the time!" Sakura pretended to look at her watch, "I think you should go by now."  
  
Tomoyo rolled her eyes, "As if! I'm gonna enjoy myself down here, so much better than up there picking flowers all day and taking care of the Beast."  
  
"The Beast?" Sakura cocked her head in interest. "You never told me about it!"  
  
"Oh please!" Tomoyo rolled her eyes and finished her cereal. "Give me a break and I'll tell you about him."  
  
"Alright!" Sakura stacked her plate on top on Tomoyo's in the sink. "So where are we going now?"  
  
"SHOPPING!!!!!!! OHOHOHOHO..."  
  
********************  
  
"But father!" a young lady whined as she twirled her raven hair around her fingers. "I don't want a party!"  
  
"Stop it, Meiling!" Mr. Li took his glasses off tiringly. "You are twenty-three years and graduate from college and never ever had a boyfriend. Well, you are gonna find one soon and hopefully at this party."  
  
Meiling pouted, "But I don't need a boyfriend. It's a drag and I like to have my own space!"  
  
Mr. Li laid a hand on his daughter's small shoulder, "You'll still have your own space. Don't you worry, you'll like it."  
  
Meiling watched her father walking out the door before sticking her tongue out. *Yeah right! Having a boyfriend? What a waste of time!"  
  
********************  
  
Takashi opened the mailbox while Eriol held the elevator door patiently. Eriol groaned after waiting for a couple minutes, "Can't you hurry up, Takashi? All you have to do is pick up the mail!"  
  
"I know," Takashi stepped inside the elevator finally, "but look at this!"  
  
Eriol peered through Takashi's shoulder, "An invitation? From whom?"  
  
"From Li..." Takashi began.  
  
Eriol banged Takashi on the head, "Aren't you a little bit too early for April Fool's Day? It can't be from Li, he's staying with us, remember?"  
  
Takashi smacked Eriol's head in return, "Not that Li! It's from Li Meiling!"  
  
"Oh!" Eriol rubbed his head, "His umm...very...competitive cousin."  
  
Takashi gave Eriol a glare, "Yeah!"  
  
"Okay, okay, fine!" Eriol shook his head and unlocked the door to their apartment. The keys fell onto the floor as Eriol burst in laughter.  
  
Takashi just stared, his jaw reaching the ground, "What are you doing?"  
  
Syaoran who was wearing baggy clothing looked as normal as usual, but with a couple assortments on him. Besides his ear tucked a paint brush which was coloring his hair the color of neon pink; the towel rested on his neck whose purpose remained unknown----whether it was to wipe the furniture or Syaoran's sweat; a window wiper solution and dust brush expanded his pants, barely holding onto the seams; the bottom of the pants was stained with a unknown substance that made one wondered what happened to our best beloved penniless Syaoran.  
  
"Who are you?" Takashi cracked up. "The twenty-first century Cinderella?"  
  
"No, of course he's not!" Eriol held his belly, almost bursting from laughing too hard, "He's just plain normal Sinderan!"  
  
"MWAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!!" Eriol and Takashi glee and gave each other high fives.  
  
A fuming Syaoran glared at the unappreciated brats whom he spent the whole day cleaning the house for, "And who are you two? The evil stepsisters?"  
  
"Ooh! Look what we got here!" Eriol smirked. "A Sinderan with attitudes!"  
  
Syaoran crossed his arms, "All I was trying to do is..."  
  
Takashi answered, "Start paying back the minutes you own us for your case?"  
  
"Hah hah!" Syaoran smudged and faked a laugh dryly, "very funny."  
  
********************  
  
At the same time, two young women pressed their eager faces onto the display windows. Tomoyo looked greedily at the newest video camera that was just released while Sakura glanced satisfying into a sport window dreaming about wearing roller skates and how that would compare to her wings now dissipated on earth.  
  
A salesman noticed the wavy soft-haired lady staring at the video camera and began approaching a potential consumer, "Hello, can I help you with anything, miss?"  
  
Tomoyo tore her eyes away from the window, "Umm...yeah, maybe you can tell me what's a video camera."  
  
**********************************************************************  
  
Okay, the reason that I make Tomoyo a faery because some readers are just too good at figuring these kinds of stuff out...so...mwahahaha!!!!!   
  
And what do you guys think of Syaoran? Be sure to tell me, all right?  
  
Ja! 


	5. Some Funky Tunes and Another Game

Hahaha! LOL...dang, I was just looking at the calendar and guess what? I haven't written this fic for two and a half weeks! Wow...guess I'm having too much on my plate, eh?   
  
Anyway, this chap is also a birthday present to NANASHI!!!! HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!!! Wow, 20...heh heh...want a happy birthday song? Hmm...actually I don't sing very well, so I'll reserve my voice for other uses *winks*  
  
And to hikari's question: are two celestial hours equals to two earth days?  
  
Actually, no and I can prove it mathematically if you want ^_^ Okay, one celestial day equals to one week on Earth. So 7 divided by 24 will give you the ratio of how a celestial day is distributed among the seven Earth days by hours and you multiple that by 2 (for 2 hours) and you'll have something like half a day.  
  
Umm...you guys still awake? Okay...good...actually I don't think that answer is correct...hahaha...^^:;  
  
And now onto my favorite part:  
  
Disclaimer: CCS is not mine, duh! I can't even draw! *sobs*  
  
Key...check last chap...^^;;  
  
Okay, enjoy ^_~  
  
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Chapter 5: Some funky tunes...and another game   
  
  
  
"Hey, Sakura!" Tomoyo peered into the sport equipment shop looking for her friend. "Are you done shopping?"  
  
"Yeah!" an auburn-haired girl lifted up her head from a pile of roller blades. "I just need to figure out which one to get!"  
  
Tomoyo scanned the pile of blades and mentally estimated around fifty pairs of skates using the skills she obtained from delivering flowers as a faery. She winced knowing it would take awhile, "Right...umm...take your time!"  
  
"Alright!" Sakura jammed her feet into another pair. "So what did you buy?"  
  
"This!" Tomoyo beamed and wiped out her video camera.  
  
Sakura frowned, "What's that?"  
  
Tomoyo's jaw dropped open and replied annoyingly, obviously had forgotten that she had just asked the salesclerk the same question five minutes ago, "It's a video camera?"  
  
"Yeah...what is it?" Sakura yanked out her feet from a size five shoe apparently a little small for her feet.  
  
Tomoyo's eyes bulged out, "Umm...it records real life objects."  
  
"How?" Sakura opened another shoebox.  
  
Tomoyo sighed and sat next to the clueless angel, "Geez...you really need to get down here more often. Here, let me show you what a videocam does."  
  
"Hoe?! What's a videocam?"  
  
Tomoyo bowed her head, *It's gonna be a long day.*  
  
**********  
  
Side by side, the three guys stared at their sparkling clean apartment and sat pondering about...absolutely nothing.  
  
"So," Eriol began.  
  
"Yeah?" Takashi continued.  
  
"Let's..." Syaoran chipped in while folding his leg on top of another.  
  
"Chill," Eriol ended.  
  
"Sweet!" Takashi bobbled his head.  
  
Syaoran rolled his eyes and replied in a monotone voice, "Tight."  
  
Suddenly, Eriol snapped his fingers, "I've got it!"  
  
"What? What? What?" Takashi jumped up and down apparently having a high dose of sugar.  
  
"Let's get our moves grooving!" Eriol swung his hips and sauntered to the stereo blasting the whole apartment with music. "Alright, alright! Come on, Syaoran! We know how good a dancer you are!"  
  
"Umm..." Syaoran twitched his eyebrow, "no thanks."  
  
**********  
  
"So you really don't know where's Sakura?" the dark-haired angel cornered the young gatekeeper.  
  
Yue sighed although his composure remained fixed, "No, I don't." *God, where's Nakuru when you need her the most?*  
  
"Oh really?" the tall, slender angle, Touya, stroked his chin and encircled Yue. "Do you know where she could be possibly?"  
  
"No, I don't," Yue replied, *hmm...maybe I should send a signal to Nakuru...it's taking awfully long for her to get here!*  
  
"Hmmm..." Touya pondered deeply, worried of the young mischievous angel's fate, "so you really don't know where's..."  
  
"AHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!! TOUYA!!!!!!" an unidentified subject interrupted Touya's question and clung to his neck.  
  
Yue's shoulders sagged as he released a sigh. *Thank you, Reed-sama!*  
  
(AN: Fujitaka and Eriol are separated from Clow Reed in this fic...okay? Oh yeah, Clow Reed is pretty much the same or close to a god in this alternate universe, alright?)  
  
"N-a-k-u-r-u!" Touya cringed trying to pry the crimson-haired fair maiden's hands off his neck. "Get off of me!"  
  
"Aww...Touya," Nakuru responded by embracing Touya tighter causing him to turn blue, "you know you miss me. Just admit it, would ya?"  
  
"..." Touya's mind spun fast, faster than a thousand miles racecar, thinking of ways to have some air. If it meant pretending to like Nakuru, whatever. He definitely needed air. "Yes."  
  
"AHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!" Nakuru shrieked while Touya winced in pain. "YOU DO! OH MY GOSH! YOU DO!!!!!! WAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!" Beaming brilliantly, Nakuru pressed her cheek up to Touya's.  
  
Touya's face turned paled as Nakuru's grip became tighter, "...air!"  
  
As intelligent as he seemed, Yue silently stepped aside and let the two lovebirds had the room...umm...portal to themselves.  
  
**********  
  
[Play that funky music, boy,  
Play that funky music, white boy!]  
  
(AN: hehee...I don't remember the rest of the lyrics)  
  
Eriol and Takashi sat down on the comfy sofa drinking sparkling water while watching Syaoran with his grooves on.  
  
Syaoran bobbled his head up and down while attempting to spell his name with his hip swaying to and forth, right and left, and up and down. As the song changed, he broke down into moonwalk earning a few tips from the audience consisting of two couch potatoes. With the greenbacks (AN: I mean CASH! Cha-ching! $_$) encouraging him, Syaoran slid onto the floor, did a perfect split, and played on his imaginary guitar. He shook his head wildly as Eriol and Takashi clapped their hands systematically.  
  
And of course with some uninvitated guests as well.  
  
"AHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!! K-A-W-A-I-I!!!!!!!!!!" their next door neighbor's best friend, Tomoyo, squealed while taping the whole dance scene. "Oh my, I'm gonna name my first documentary 'Funky Tunes'!"  
  
Syaoran immediately screeched to a stop, his face turning a darker shade of red by second, "What are you guys doing here?"  
  
Sakura answered while spinning around on her new roller blades, "The door is opened, so we decided to check on you."  
  
"Oh wow!" Syaoran replied dryly eyeing a certain four-eyed couch potato in the room. "What a coincidence!"  
  
Smiling mysteriously, Eriol shrugged and got off the sofa, "So are you girls free this evening?"  
  
Tomoyo lowered her camera, "Oh my, Eriol looks nice in the camera!"  
  
"Err...hehehe..." Sakura giggled nervously and then straightened herself, "yeah, we're free. Why asked that?"  
  
"Oh," Eriol put his hands in his pants, "we're playing badminton later today so just want to see if you guys would like to come."  
  
"WE'D LOVE TO!" Tomoyo exclaimed. "And I can videotape all of you, ohohohoho!!!!!"  
  
"Alright, then we'll meet you back here in an hour."  
  
"'K, see you then!" Tomoyo waved to the boys and dragged Sakura into their apartment.  
  
After Tomoyo closed the door behind her, Sakura tugged worriedly on Tomoyo's sleeve, "Tomoyo!"  
  
"What?" Tomoyo turned around with her brand-new video camera still recording.  
  
"What *is* badminton?" Sakura hissed in the overly excited faery's ear. "We don't know a thing about it!"  
  
"Oh, you worried too much, Sakura," Tomoyo shrugged her shoulders and sat in front of the computer, "all we have to do is get on the Internet and look it up!"  
  
"Cool!" Sakura beamed. And then her usually bright face darkened, "And do you even know how to turn that thingy...what is it, again? Compuker...yeah, that thing on?"  
  
Tomoyo stared blankly at the alien dull screen and wisely stepped aside from the "compuker", to us as known as computer, as if it was a timed bomb. She grinned sheepishly at the emerald-eyed angel, "Umm...good point..."  
  
**********  
  
While Touya struggled to escape from the fair angel's iron grip, Yue entered the Forbidden Forest, foreclosed to all angels except other magical creatures such as Yue and the faeries.   
  
"FINALLY!" a hysterical shriek was heard, as a flash of yellow appeared flying with its fragile wings. "Do you guys have any concern for the guardian of angels here? Do you guys know what I'm capable of? Do you guys know how long I've been in here? AND I WANNA GET OUT OF THIS PLACE!!!!!!! And by the way, do you have any idea how much I miss my daily portion of puddings? Do you know that I haven't been feed for the last TWO HOURS? THAT'S NOT THE WAY TO TREAT A PROMINENT FIGURE LIKE MYSELF!!!!!!!"  
  
"But it's the way to treat a prisoner," Yue muttered as he stuffed the chatterbox with the honeysuckle.  
  
The chatterbox, otherwise known as the guardian of all angels and currently the criminal (or at least the partner in crime) held captive in this cell, munched on the sweet flower sucking on every drop of its nectar.  
  
Yue folded his wings and stood tall for there was no place to sit, "So the faeries haven't fed you yet, Kero?"  
  
"Nope!" Kero tossed the dry honeysuckle away and smacked his lips satisfying. "Faery Tomoyo had been gone for quite some time."  
  
"Oh?" Yue raised up his eyebrow showing interests in this subject, "did you say Tomoyo?"  
  
"Yup!" Kero nodded and continued, "as the one who always brings me three trays of goodies."  
  
"Do she have long, wavy dark hair?" Yue asked anxiously, his palms sweating a little. *Oh please, please don't be Tomoyo as Sakura's best friend!*  
  
"Hmm..." the guardian of the angels whom was hard to imagine with a body sagging like a fluffy stuff animal flattened his wings and sat on Yue's kneecap, "I think so."  
  
"Oh my!" Yue stood up immediately knocking Kero to the ground, "I have to go!"  
  
"Hey!" Kero rubbed his hip. "What's that for!"  
  
"Sorry!" Yue scrambled back to the Portal to examine ways to track down the mischievous duel.  
  
"O...k..." Kero narrowed his eyes apparently not too please with Yue's attitude. But it was not long when he noticed something different about the cell that sent his grudge out the window, if there was one. The door is open!  
  
"Alright!" Kero beamed and flapped his arms. "Free at last! Watch out, Spinel Sun, for the Beast is on his way! HA!"  
  
**********  
  
"Umm...guys?" Sakura tapped Syaoran's shoulder hesitantly.  
  
Syaoran turned around carrying five racquets on his back and a tube of birdies in his other hand, "Yeah?"  
  
Sakura looked down and played with her knuckles, her face flushed a royal red, "How...how...how do you play badminton?"  
  
"EEEHHHHHHHHH?????????????" Syaoran's eyes were wide as two saucers sent from outer space as he stared at the auburn-haired girl in disbelief. "You don't know?!"  
  
Sakura lowered her head even more, almost kissing the ground, "Umm...no..."  
  
Syaoran sighed, "Okay, let's start with the basic. This is the racquet and this is the birdie..."  
  
**********  
  
Tomoyo hissed as she was paired up with Sakura to play against Takashi and Syaoran, "So what did you learn?"  
  
Sakura smiled confidently, "Badminton is simple, just think Battledore and Shuttlecock."  
  
(AN: Battledore and Shuttlecock is the original name given to Badminton ^_^)  
  
"Alright," Tomoyo smiled also, "just my kind of game!"  
  
"Yup!"  
  
**********  
  
Up, up, and even farther away, an unidentified object accelerated negatively downward unseen by million of people and traffic crowding the streets.   
  
"YIIPPPPEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!" Kero cheered as he flew through the air and stopped in the middle of an intersection.  
  
HONK! HONK!  
  
BANG!   
  
SMASH!  
  
Kero looked around confusedly as a man yanked his car door open and people rushed to his sight, "Weird, this world definitely has changed the last time I was here. Ooh...is that blueberry pie I smell? Better check it out!" With his last words, the Beast exited the scene quietly as the victim of the car accident was aided by the emergency team.  
  
The shaken man took a deep breath; his eyes remained unfocused. The emergency team member waved her hand as another checked his eyes with a mini flashlight, "Are you feeling alright, mister?"  
  
"I...saw..." the mid-aged man spluttered out a few words, "a yellow...fur...cat with wings...I think it's my cat. It's inviting me to go to heaven with him!"  
  
"Get the bed ready," the experienced medical team members now all scrambled as if it was their first mission, "we got a real emergency here!"  
  
"LET ME GO!" the mid-aged man struggled again as the team tied him to the bunk. "KITTY! I'M JOINING YOU SOON!"  
  
**********  
  
"Okay," Tomoyo panted after the first game, "I need a break!"  
  
"Same here!" Takashi wiped his sweat off with a towel and sat down next to Eriol and Tomoyo who immediately started recording with her new found love.  
  
"Okay," Sakura picked up a perfectly shaped birdie, unlike the others, which were torn and battered from the aggressive smashing and driving, "TEN ALL SERVICE!"  
  
Syaoran watched the birdie intensely and did a drop from the mid-court landing the birdie close to the net.  
  
"I got it!" Sakura shouted as she sped toward the front.   
  
At the same time Syaoran rushed to the front as well to block Sakura's planned smash. Sakura raised her racquet high in the air. Syaoran got his racquet ready in a comfortable position and advanced toward his opponent.  
  
The racquet stroke down...SMACK!!!!!!!!!!!!  
  
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haha! Isn't that wonderful? It's twice as long as what I usually write, hope you guys are satisfied ^_^  
  
And the dance Syaoran is doing and words like "get your grooves on" were from the '70 or '80, I can't remember ^^;;  
  
And I don't own the song "Play that funky music" umm...is that even the song title?  
  
Alright, if there's anymore question, please ask because I know I used a lot of slang in this chap. Okay, till next time ^_~  
  
And happy birthday, Nanashi!  
  
*waves* 


	6. An old friend

Hey everyone! It's me! Finally updating again ^O~ Hehehe...sorry about the long wait nowadays. Anyways, this chapter is dedicated to DIANA!!!!!!!!!!!!!! YEAH! Sorry for the belated birthday present, Diana- chan ^o~ But I hope you like it ^o^;  
  
Disclaimer: CCS is own by CLAMPS  
  
Key: check previous chapters  
  
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Chapter 6: An old friend  
  
  
  
"OOOOOOOOOOOOWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!" a high pitched scream pierced the gentle air, also quite painful.  
  
Sakura winced, "Sorry, Syaoran! I didn't mean to do that!"  
  
A painful Syaoran raised his arm in consolation, "It's alright, I'll be fine."  
  
"Ummm," Tomoyo frowned, "we better go get an ice pack!"  
  
"Right," Sakura nodded her head and the two girls head off to their apartment.  
  
**********  
  
A yellow stuffed animal licked the blueberry pie pan in satisfaction with a huge grin on its face. Besides him was a pile of pans about a mountain high, and behind the counter the employers were bewitched by this innocent- looking stuffed animal to keep baking pies. Suddenly, his ears perked up as he sensed something unusual outside. His delicate round ears picked up vibes of various people until they targeted on a certain someone...or something this pie-eating yellow beast was looking for.  
  
Kero slowly formed the words, "Spinel Sun? Suppie? THAT STUPID MUTATED CAT THAT GOT ME INTO THIS MESS AND INTO THE FORBIDDEN FORREST?!?!?!?!?! Just wait, suppie. Your nice cozy days are OVER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" With his last words, Kero stretched out his fragile wings and flew away, still leaving the brainwashed employers making pies, baking pies, making pies, baking pies, making pies, baking pies, making pies...  
  
**********  
  
"Ummm...just wondering, what are you guys doing?"  
  
Eriol and Yamazaki waved their hands in unison and pushed Syaoran further down on the chair, "Nothing, just playing a game of tic-tac-toe."  
  
"ON MY FACE?!" yelled Syaoran as he felt the tip of a ballpoint pen forming a "X" on his nice round forehead.  
  
"Of course," Eriol nodded, "you're the one with the net lines on your forehead. They make good grids for tic-tac-toe."  
  
Syaoran sighed, "Don't remind me. How am I supposed to know that Sakura will smack my face with a racquet THAT hard."  
  
"Shhh..." Yamazaki warned, "Don't move! I'm drawing a perfect circle on your head."  
  
"That is a good circle," Eriol commented, "although it's a few micrometers off the center."  
  
Yamazaki snorted, "Sheesh, like you can tell!"  
  
"Umm..." Syaoran interrupted the nice pleasant game of tic-tac-toe, "just in case you guys don't remember, THIS IS MY FACE AND KNOCK IT OFF!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"  
  
"Alright, alright," Eriol pat Syaoran on the back. "Fine, we won't play tic-tac-toe, then."  
  
"Hmm...how about connecting the dots?" Yamazaki added.  
  
"Sure, by the way, this pen isn't permanent, is it?"  
  
"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"  
  
**********  
  
"Oi," Sakrua called as she opened the cupboard in her apartment, "do you think Syaoran-kun is hurt badly? I feel bad smacking my racquet into him."  
  
Tomoyo took out an ice-pack from the icebox and blinked her eyes, "You what?! Y-you feel sorry f-for HIM?"  
  
Sakura nodded, "Yeah, is that hard to believe?"  
  
"Umm, yeah," Tomoyo reasoned, "I mean you always manage to run into people or smack something into people, but it never stays on your mind THAT long."  
  
"Well...b-but this is different!" Sakura stammered, blushing a little.  
  
"Oh?" Tomoyo cocked her eyebrow. "How different?"  
  
"W-well...h-he's...a human!" Sakura stammered even more.  
  
"Um huh," Tomoyo nodded, "and may I remind me that you don't care about humans more than those poor faeries and angels up on top."  
  
"Well, I do!"  
  
"Sure," Tomoyo chuckled, "and may I remind you the time when you knocked a pedestrian off the sidewalk which almost caused an accident. And then after knowing he's still alive, you feel indifferent."  
  
"Well," Sakura frowned, "I still do feel bad for him..."  
  
Tomoyo walked over to her best friend, "I know you do, but you usually never talk about this. Hurting Syaoran really bothers you, doesn't it?"  
  
"Ummm..." Sakura looked away, "...maybe."  
  
After a moment of pause, Tomoyo came to a conclusion, "You like him."  
  
"Hoe?" Sakura was startled.  
  
"Syaoran." Tomoyo repeated. "You like Syaoran. Otherwise, you wouldn't be this troubled."  
  
"W-What are you talking about?" Sakura ignored the raven-haired faery and open the door to the apartment.  
  
"Of course you like him," Tomoyo followed Sakura out of the door and watched her shakily hands as she tried to lock the door.  
  
"Of course not," Sakura put the key into her purse after she locked the door, "I just feel bad because he's kinda like a friend to me. You know, he's the first human that I ever befriended with."  
  
"Hmm..." Tomoyo nodded, "...maybe."  
  
**********  
  
Kero frowned, "I'm sure that I sensed that stupid cat, but how come I can't see his mutated form? Come out, stupid Suppie!" Kero sighed and kept on flying.  
  
Behind a building, lips parted and curved upward to form an evil grin.  
  
**********  
  
"Sorry, Syaoran," Eriol apologized with a huge grin on his face.  
  
Yamazaki chipped in, "Yeah, we really didn't mean to mark your face with a permanent marker."  
  
"Sure," Syaoran murmured as he tumbled through the street with people staring at him. He walked past a dark violet-blue-haired man with diluted cornflower-colored cat eyes. Syaoran stopped and turned to look at the figure now walking away, *It couldn't be...but it has to be him! That jerk who escaped right before my whole company went down!* Syaoran ran past the stupefied Eriol and Yamazakai, and stepped in front of the stranger. He panted, "You...GIVE ME BACK MY MONEY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"  
  
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So what do you guys think? I'm trying to put in some romance now...although I hope I'm making some sense ^^:; Anyway, sorry for the insane chapters and such but I'll try to finish it as soon as possible. And as far as I'm concerned with this fic, I'll say about five or six more chaps. So guess what?! I'm half way through! And now you guys are probably going to wonder how long will I update the next chapter...eheheheh...ja!  
  
Oh yeah, the next update should be on "Candy-coated High School" ^O~ 


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